asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number, if any, of the chairmen of the committees and working groups of the Council of Ministers of the European Community to be provided by Ireland from January to June, 1975, who are not members of the public service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Chairmen of EEC Committees.
4.
All chairmen of committees and working groups of the Council to be provided by Ireland in the period from January to June, 1975, are members of the public service. Ireland is providing 98 chairmen for some 189 committees and working groups. Eighty-four chairmen are from Government Departments and offices, including one retired civil servant who is being employed on a fee basis. The remaining 14 chairmen are drawn from the following bodies:
|
Body |
Number of Chairmen |
|
An Foras Talúntais |
2 |
|
Córas Tráchtála |
2 |
|
Industrial Development Authority |
4 |
|
Institute for Industrial Research and Standards |
3 |
|
National Science Council |
1 |
|
Restrictive Practices Commission |
2 |
I take it that the Minister has changed his mind on the composition and chairmanship of these committees since he was in opposition himself?
I do not recall ever discussing the question of chairmanship of committees when in opposition. Perhaps the Deputy can remind me of some occasions when I spoke on that subject?
I can only say that, from the Minister's mind as I understood it at the time, he did have a different view. To pass on from that——
I do not think I ever even considered the question of chairmanship in opposition; it was not exactly imminent in our time.
In view of the fact that the Minister has told us that there are approximately 200 subcommittees and 47 main committees, does the Minister not think it would be appropriate to have appointed to the chairmanship of some of these working committees some people who have special skill and special expertise in various areas? You have special committees for lawyers, for the paper industry and for the various professions. Would the Minister not think it would be entirely desirable, if not necessary, that there should be special provision for chairmanship from outside the public service or semi-State bodies?
We have to distinguish here between committees of working groups which are concerned with questions of government policy, in the context of the Community, and with putting forward the views of the Irish Government on matters, and other informal groupings that exist where the interests of different sectors of the Community are represented—the Economic and Social Committee and many other working parties; I do not know what exact title one gives them—and where expert advice is given by the representatives of different interests to those concerned with decision making. The bodies with which I am concerned here are the committees and working groups of the Council of Ministers which represent governments.
I take it from what the Minister has said that in fact there is no binding regulation which precludes the Government from nominating chairmen to these committees, in view of the fact that there are people there who were not in the public service, people outside the public service? In view of that, might I suggest to the Minister, that, in some areas—in the area of the paper industry, I am giving some examples only out of 200, insurance, lawyers or any others—it would be more appropriate to have the profession or business organisation represented by chairmen for a number of reasons which must be obvious to the Minister?
I do not think it is as simple as that. It is very important that the views of these interests should be represented through their own committees which are providing advice to the Council and the Commission. We are talking here of committees which represent governments and putting forward government policy. As far as that is concerned there is a danger in having somebody who represents a sectional interest putting forward a view for that sectional interest which may not be in consonance with government policy as a whole, so there is a practical difficulty there.
Take, for example, the question of the legal profession. I do not know what would be the attitude of the Government to the right of establishment of lawyers under the European Community but surely it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a responsible and representative lawyer could in fact express, after consultation, the Government view, as chairman?
I would not rule that out a priori.
If the Minister would not rule it out would the Minister not then consider that, in view of the lawyer's qualifications in the area—I am quoting it only as an example—it would be desirable to have a person who has such special skill?
I am afraid we must pass on from this question.
It could be if we did not have an adequately qualified person available in or attached to the Government service.
Question No. 5.
Is the Minister satisfied that he has within the public service adequately qualified people to chair all of these 200 subcommittees?
Yes, to represent government policy on them; certainly not people with the expert knowledge to provide the detailed view of the profession concerned, which is provided by that profession through the consultative organs that exist within the Community for that purpose.